124 VS 125 grain bullets, 9mm loads.

**brian** · November 28th, 2009, 05:25 PM

picked up some 124gr lead for the p08, before checking to see what powder they take.
well it's not many, and nothing i can use elsewhere.

the 125gr lead loads, however are full of powders i already use.

i know loading lighter projectiles to heavier projectile loads is ok....to a point.
so i'm fine there.

the loads i looked at were all right around 1100ft/s. i don't really want to push my lead past that.

the question is. what will that one grain lighter weight do to the velocities?....if anything?
or is that one grain difference nothing to even think about?

**max384** · November 28th, 2009, 06:34 PM

Absolutely nothing. Load them using the same powder information you would for the 125 gr bullets...

Well.... Just be careful to measure the length of the bullets. If they are longer or shorter than the 125 gr bullets (other than by a couple thousandths), you may run into problems with seating them to the correct depth to achieve proper pressures.

If I can't find load data for a particular size bullet, I just go a size heavier (to a point). For example, I use 160 gr TMJ for my .40 S&W. I could only find data for 155 and 165 gr (though I eventually found some info, but I stuck with what I knew worked), so I just loaded with 165 gr info.

Furthermore, if you weigh each individual bullet, you'll see that they vary from one to the other. Take again, the 160 gr TMJ bullets for example. They vary in weight from 159.5 gr to 161 gr. Of course, they're cheap, bulk bullets. If you spend money on some good quality bullets, they should only vary by .1 gr or so.

**Flash** · November 28th, 2009, 06:52 PM

Take Max's word for it. The difference in weight is only 0.806451 percent. And make sure about the length, because you want the same internal volume in the case below the bullet.

Bullseye shooters who shoot 215 gr lead cast SWC's in their 45's usually consider +/- 2.0 grains quite satisfactory for precision practice ammo, and the really finicky ones will only shoot matches with +/- 0.5 gr cast bullets. Personally, I haven't met anyone around here who can shoot worth the difference.

Flash

**brian** · November 28th, 2009, 10:21 PM

yeah i figured as much, just wanted to see a few others type that out. i had to be sure i was thinking too far out of the book.

**J&S Custom Bullets** · December 1st, 2009, 12:37 AM

Such a small amount won't affect anything.

**brian** · December 5th, 2009, 07:36 PM

well loaded a few up for the ol'girl.
had an issue so i only did a handfull, about 20rds.
the autodisk was only throwing a 4.6g charge, though everything was saying it should have been a 5.4g charge.
regardless, the pistol liked them. they shot well, they cycled the luger action just fine and just as importantly no leading of the bore.
the book said 5.4 of unique should have been around 1100ft/s...which i've come to see is actually pretty close to factory fmj loads. with this lighter load that should be closer to 1k-ft/s.
and this load about fills the case.
all in all it should work just fine. which is cool, i want to shoot it more.

**Rundownfid** · December 7th, 2009, 11:16 AM

Brian;
Have you ever used that Luger in any type of "practicle" competition? I am curious what you thought of the disadvantages for something like IDPA.

**brian** · December 7th, 2009, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by Rundownfid

Brian;
Have you ever used that Luger in any type of "practicle" competition? I am curious what you thought of the disadvantages for something like IDPA.

competition? hell no. it is a pretty rare model.
i wanted a lite load that would function it, just so i could feel comfortable shooting it once in a while.